Characteristics

The Akita is quite loyal to its family, and deals well with children, though is somewhat of an introvert when it comes to dealing with strangers. It can, however, be aggressive to other dogs and animals. It is not uncommon for an Akita to catch and kill small (or even large) animals if it is allowed to wander, so a fenced yard is a must. The breed has a double coat of fur which sheds twice a year, and is an outdoor dog that can easily withstand cold winters. The Akita is a stocky dog with a deep muzzle, erect ears, small eyes, and a curled tail. Their coat colors can include white, brown, red, gray, and tan though other colors do occur. If they are not a single solid color, they often have a brindled or pinto color pattern. Males typically stand 26-28 inches (66-71cm) while bitches are slightly shorter at 24-26 inches (61-66cm). They weigh between 75 and 100 lbs (34-50kg), and must be fed a high proteindiet to maintain their health.

Health Issues

As with all pure bred dogs, a small gene pool leads to many genetically transferred health conditions. While there is no guarantee that any dog will or will not have any of the following problems, conditions specific to the Akita are:

Hip dysplasia (common to many large breed dogs), and other joint conditions

Training

As with any dog, proper time must be spent on training. Akitas are a dominant breed, so special attention must be paid to making them obedient from the time they are a puppy. Keep in mind that the cute puppy you bring home can quickly grow to a 100lb dog, so start early. If the owner does not place himself in the alpha position from the beginning, the Akita will take over this position and will be hard to control. They respond well to deserving praise and treats, though may become aggressive toward any physical punishment. Akitas are natural guard dogs, so do not require any training in this area. As stated above, this breed is aggressive toward other animals, especially same sex dogs - this is natural, and there is little you can do about it. Regardless, they should never be allowed to be aggressive toward people.

Famous Akitas

Hachi-Ko - A famous statue stands in Shibuya Station in Tokyo of "Chuken Hachi-ko" (Loyal Dog Hachi) who greeted his master daily at the station on his return from work. The dog continued to go to the station daily for 10 years after his master died.